Dependent family members are no longer able to join (With some exceptions) – UK

The changes to student visa route were already announced on 23 May 2023  as one of the measures to limit net migration to the UK. Those changes are now being introduced to the immigration rules by the Statement of Changes 17 July 2023. The following major change is being made to the student route in response to the Government’s commitment to reduce net migration:

• For courses that start from 1 January 2024 – Removing the right for international students to bring dependants unless they are on postgraduate courses currently designated as research programmes.  

In short, if the course starts on or after 1 January 2024, for student to be able to bring dependant family the provider education institution would need to confirm the course is a PhD or other doctoral qualification, or a research-based higher degree.

According to the published Statement of Changes ““Research-based higher degree” means a postgraduate programme comprising a research component (including a requirement to produce original work) that is larger than any accompanying taught component when measured by student effort.”